To mark the 100-year anniversary of the Leica I, the Ernst Leitz Museum is presenting a large retrospective of work by American photographer Joel Meyerowitz, one of street photography’s most illustrious proponents.
Meyerowitz’s work ranks among the most important and influential in American street photography. He has been one of the United States’ most prominent photographers since the 60s. The high-profile exhibition The Pleasure of Seeing represents a comprehensive retrospective of his oeuvre, showing 100 self-curated images at the Ernst Leitz Museum from 29 June to 21 September 2025.
Joel Meyerowitz
Joel Meyerowitz: The Pleasure of Seeing
A solo exhibition of his work – 100 images from more than a half century
Meyerowitz’s selection of images spans from the 60s to the recent past. It ranges from Meyerowitz’s early pictures of New York, to photos from Europe and China, snapshots from the streets of various metropolises, dramatic scenes in Manhattan after the 9/11 terror attack, to quiet still lifes with objects from Paul Cézanne’s and Giorgio Morandi’s ateliers, supplemented by self-portraits. Beside many iconic images, the exhibition will also present two pictures taken from the very first roll of film he used with his Leica M2 back in 1963.
New York is at the heart of his work. Inspired by its pulsating street life, he has developed his unmistakable look. He decided to concentrate on colour photography at an early stage – a courageous move in the 60s, when black and white was the medium of choice for artistic photography. With two Leica cameras – one for colour and one for black and white – he studied the effects of both worlds before deciding to concentrate on image composition in colour, thus becoming a pioneer of colour photography.
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Joel Meyerowitz
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Joel Meyerowitz
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Joel Meyerowitz
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Joel Meyerowitz
I have always considered myself to be an advocate of colour. It was always about real life for me – not gaudy moments. I want to describe everything I see. And colour opens up a new dimension for us to do so.
Joel Meyerowitz
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Joel Meyerowitz
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Joel Meyerowitz
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Joel Meyerowitz
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Joel Meyerowitz
Joel Meyerowitz put together the exhibition The Pleasure of Seeing with the curators Karin Rehn-Kaufmann and Inas Fayed. Besides the photographer’s versatility and ongoing development, the exhibition also gives insights into the street photography genre, the history of photography and how this medium has transformed.
Joel Meyerowitz’s photos continue to captivate today. They are multifaceted, precisely composed and full of atmosphere. His pictures invite us to explore – and open our eyes to that which we often overlook in our everyday life.
Exhibition Details:
Dates: Jun 29 – Sep 21 2025
Opening Hours: 10 AM - 6 PM (Everyday)
Venue: Ernst Leitz Museum Wetzlar
Am Leitz-Park 6
35578 Wetzlar
About Joel Meyerowitz
Joel Meyerowitz was born in New York in 1938, first studying painting and working as an Art Director before meeting Robert Frank, who introduced him to photography. Meyerowitz has influenced street photography considerably, using different Leica M-models, such as the M2, M4 and M6. He continues to use the M- and S-Systems to take pictures to this day. He was honoured for his life’s work with the Leica Hall of Fame Award in 2016.
The exhibition was realised with the kind support of WhiteWall.
